Writing up a storm

Tag Archives: 1991

With the poppy appeal in full flow and armistice day fast approaching. It always reminds me of one night in the Falkland Islands in 1991.

I was a young man of 22 serving in the RAF, and was currently posted 8’000 miles from home in the Falkland Islands. I was living in a four man room, with 2 other RAF and a Paratrooper.

This one night, there was about 10 odd of us in the room drinking and watching Black adder goes forth on video. Although we were not suppose to have alcohol in the room , being caterers we had managed to get a few cans of beer in, and had a huge tea urn full of Vodka and Orange.

I should point out at this stage that we had just finished a five day exercise; we had been practising our roles in the event of the Falklands were invaded whist we were there.

So, if you can image it 10 odd men, 8000 miles from home, aged between 18 and 24 from the RAF, Army, Navy and the Para’s, in a 4 man room drinking, laughing, just of a 5 day exercise and watching Blackadder goes forth.

Then the laughter stopped and the mood changed as the final scene from Blackadder was played out.

For we all realised that we were far away from home, and what if what we had just been practicing became reality, then…